by Kim Loraine
She hands me a small package wrapped in light blue paper. “What is this?” Delight floods me as I tear into the paper. The box is black velvet and when I open it, my eyes well with tears. Inside is a delicate platinum chain with an intricate sparrow in the middle. The chain is linked to each wing and it looks as though the bird is in flight.
“A bird?” Alina asks.
“He calls me sparrow,” I whisper.
“Here, let me help,” she says, taking the necklace and putting it around my neck. It fits perfectly, the bird nestling just below my collar bones.
Then she grabs my bouquet of calla lilies and hands them to me. The soft strains of a string quartet echo in the stone hallway as we walk toward the sanctuary. “I’m nervous,” I admit.
“You’re perfect. Just wait until he sees you. All your nerves will vanish.” My mother’s words are uttered with such strength and certainty that I can’t help but believe them.
I catch sight of my brother waiting at the entrance to the sanctuary, and my mother and sister head down the aisle, leaving me with Ryder. He takes my arm and smiles. “Ready, little sister?”
I nod, but my stomach is in knots. “What if I fall?”
“I won’t let you.”
“What if he changes his mind?”
“I’ll imprison him.”
I laugh then, louder than I should. “Okay, I’m ready.”
We walk slowly, in time with the music, and the moment we breach the open doorway my gaze finds Archer. Time stops, the world around us pinpointing to him and me. His dark eyes burn with intense happiness, and the sweet smile on his lips is all for me. “I don’t think he’s going anywhere,” Ryder whispers.
“No. He’s definitely staying.” He promised me after all. Archer will never leave, just like I will never stop loving him.
When we reach the altar, Ryder kisses my cheek and offers my hand in marriage, but most of that is a blur because I can’t take my eyes off my handsome guardsman. Archer links hands with me and pulls me close, probably a little too close, but I don’t care. All I want is to start my forever with this man. We repeat our vows, exchange rings, and then it’s time for the kiss. I don’t know what my husband will do, and honestly, I just need his lips sealing this promise between us.
He leans in and whispers, “Hold on tight, Sparrow.” Then he dips me low and kisses me until my knees go weak.
The small congregation claps and cheers as we exit the chapel amid a flurry of falling rose petals as we run to our waiting car. As soon as we get inside, hidden behind the dark privacy windows he’s on me, lips and tongue, hands roaming my body. “I love you so much, Sparrow. I can’t believe you’re finally mine.”
“I’ve always been yours. From day one.”
“But now I can keep you with me. I can fly with you and make a home with you. You’re my home.”
The car starts moving, whisking us away to our honeymoon at our ski chalet in the mountains, and his hands are busy, working my stockings off my legs, unzipping my dress, baring me to him. “Impatient, are we?”
“Yes. I haven’t had you in weeks. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
His cock is a length of steel inside his tuxedo pants. “Well, then, I definitely don’t want to cause you more discomfort.” I unzip him and pull his erection out, running my fingers over the tightly stretched skin and making him moan.
“Do you remember when I told you I wanted to put a baby inside you?” he asks, and my God, I swear I have a mini-orgasm from those words.
“Yes,” I breathe.
“I’d really like to do that. I want to start our family. I know we only got married less than an hour ago, but I’ve known you were my future since the first day we met.”
“I’m so glad you said that.” I straddle him and place his blunt head at my entrance. “Because,” I say, sinking down onto him. “I stopped taking the pill a week ago.”
“Fuck.” His groan makes me shudder in pleasure.
Harsh breaths, soft kisses, moans and whimpers become all we are as we ride our way to climax. The rasp of his slightly stubbled jaw over my sensitive skin, mixed with the spicy scent of him and the taste of his tongue sends me exploding around him. When he cries my name and jerks under me, I take a moment to feel him pulsing, filling me, claiming me as his.
After a few minutes, I do my best to clean up and put myself back together, then we sit together, my head on his shoulder as we continue the ride to our honeymoon and the beginning of our forever. Archer is everything I’ve ever wanted, and now he’s mine. I’ll never let him go.
Epilogue
Archer
Three months later
Soft hands slide down my bare chest and lower until they reach my hips, making me smile as I’m pulled from sleep. Then my wife’s warm mouth covers my cock, and I groan long and deep.
“Jesus, Sparrow. This is one hell of a way to wake me.”
She hums in approval, and my head falls back onto the pillow as the vibrations send shockwaves of pleasure through me. I’m hard as stone, and I want nothing more than to be inside my princess. She works my length until I’m bucking under her and my whole body is tense from the effort not to spill myself down her throat. But I finally take control, threading my fingers in her dark hair and tugging until she releases me.
“My turn, wife,” I say, my tone deadly serious.
Waverly grins and crawls up my frame, her lips blazing a trail along my chest and neck, brushing my jaw, then finally landing on my mouth. Her wet folds slide over my aching cock and the promise of that heaven makes pre-come spill from me.
“I need you to take me inside you.” My words are more of a plea than I’d like, but she doesn’t understand what she’s doing to me. Or perhaps she does. “I want to get you pregnant.”
We’ve tried for months now and haven’t been successful. Part of me worries if it hasn’t already happened, maybe it won’t, but she assures me we’re fine. We make love, slow and tender, and I worship my wife.
“Archer,” she whispers in the quiet afterglow of our lovemaking.
“Yes, Sparrow?”
“I need to tell you something.”
The seriousness of her tone has me turning to face her. Fear creeping inside my chest. “What is it?”
“I’m pregnant.”
Joy floods me, and I take her face between my palms, crushing my lips to hers. “Really?”
She nods. “I found out yesterday, but couldn’t find a good time to tell you.”
“Are you serious? Any time would have been a good time. Absolutely any.”
“I’m nervous something will go wrong.”
I am too. “We’ll do all we can to keep this baby safe. And when this one is born, we’ll have to start working on a little brother or sister straight away. I’m an only child, and we can’t do that to this baby.”
She laughs and runs her fingers through my hair. “That sounds good. But perhaps we could wait at least a year?”
“Fine. A year.” I place my palm over her soft belly, marveling at the fact that my child is inside her right now. “I can’t believe it,” I murmur.
“Are you happy?”
“Deliriously.”
She snuggles into my side and holds me tight. Then, lying together, the two of us doze off, happy in each other’s arms.
The phone rings, jolting me out of my light sleep. I reach for the bedside table, fumbling for the device. “Hello?” I murmur, not wanting to wake her if I can avoid it.
“Archer, we need you.” It’s Ryder on the phone, his voice tight with worry, the tone sending apprehension through me.
“What is it?”
“Alina’s gone missing.”
“Shit,” I say. “Where was she last seen?”
That wakes Waverly. She’s gripping my bicep and trying to get my attention as her brother continues talking. “She was supposed to be on a ski trip. I got a call when she never arrived.”
“Is anyone else gone?”
/>
Ryder takes a long breath. “Kingston. But he’s my best friend. You don’t think…He’s not interested in her. She’s too young.”
“I don’t know him like you do, but he’s probably the first one I’d look at.”
“I called him, but he hasn’t answered. We have to find her. I don’t care what it takes. She’s been so sheltered most of her life, but the girl thinks she’s worldly.”
“I’ll do what I can from here.”
“Thank you, Archer.”
The king hangs up, and I turn to face my wife. “Alina?” she asks.
I nod. “She’s run off. Or taken. God, I hope she hasn’t been taken.”
She shakes her head. “Roman Holiday.”
I frown. “What?”
“It’s her favorite movie. The princess who goes off on holiday by herself. But in her story, Kingston is the romantic hero. I wouldn’t be worried about the princess being kidnapped. I’d be worried she stole herself a lord.”
Also by Kim Loraine
Contemporary Romance
Until the Stars Fade (FREE)
The Royal Virgins
The Virgin’s Playboy Prince
The Virgin’s Royal Guard
The Virgin’s Forbidden Lord
The Virgins
The Virgin’s Fake Fiancé
Rescuing His Virgin
His Hollywood Virgin
The Cocktail Girls
His Whiskey Sour (A Stand Alone Rock Star Romance)
The Golden Beach Series
Restoration
Renovation
Foundation
Resonance
Redemption
Resolution
Devotion
Remnants
Paranormal Romance
The Siren Coven
Eternal Desire
Cursed Heart
The Fallen Angel Trilogy
Waking the Watcher (FREE)
Denying the Watcher
Releasing the Watcher
Acknowledgments
I write because I love it, but also because I want to make my readers smile like so many authors have done for me. There are always people I count on for honest feedback and help managing my crazy life. Rachel, Allison, and Misty in particular. Thanks so much for always making time to read my chapters and for your honest feedback.
My husband, kids, and family. Thanks for letting me get away to write.
My writing group. Thanks for keeping me on track.
Wendy. Thanks for always finding time for me.
My Loraine Lovers and my Coven! You guys are so fantastic.
Nicole French for teaching me ALL the things.
Also, thanks to Emily and the team at Social Butterfly. You guys have been on it from the beginning and I appreciate you!
Lastly, thank you readers. Without you, there wouldn’t be a place for all these virgins.
xoxo
Kim
Sneak Peek
The Virgin’s Forbidden Lord
Chapter 1
Kingston
“Remember, gentleman, it’s a charity auction, not a Magic Mike live performance. You’re to spend the rest of the evening with the woman…or man, whatever the case may be, who wins you.” Mila, the party planner and general in charge of this group of men stares me down as if I’m going to be the culprit who brings ruin to her event with a pair of tearaway tux pants.
“Why are you looking at me? I’m here for the charity.” I hold up my hands and grin. “I can’t help it if a little dancing gets them riled up and ready to donate.”
“Lord Haverford, really,” she chastises me.
“Come on, then, Mila. You know you liked Magic Mike as much as the next girl.”
Her cheeks go pink and she smiles, just a ghost of amusement, but it’s there. “Just…keep it in your pants. No nudity.”
I cross my heart and offer her my winning smile. “You have my word.”
She nods and looks down the line of us. Twenty-five eligible bachelors, some nobleman, others just good-looking guys willing to sell their company for the night for charity. Honestly, if the king wasn’t my best friend, I wouldn’t be participating in this. “Don’t come out until I announce you.”
I can’t resist peeking around the curtain. The crowd is large, lots of masked men and women dressed in their finest black tie apparel. I catch sight of a woman I think is Princess Waverly dancing with a man I don’t recognize and then my mouth runs dry when I see her sister, Princess Alina. She’s twirling in the middle of the dance floor, her pink gown swirling around her as she goes.
I’ve tried to avoid my attraction to my best friend’s littlest sister, but she’s like some kind of seductive fairy. She’s all big eyes and innocent temptation wrapped in a sexy as sin body. At first it was nothing but a one-sided thing, a flirty girl who had a crush on her brother’s best friend, but now? God help me, after a year away spending time in the US with my good friend Lincoln, I came home to find a vixen had taken her place.
Someone gives my shoulder a shove and I cast a glare back at him. “What?” I hiss.
“Mila has called you up three bloody times.”
Fuck. I take the stage and my traitor of a cock thickens behind the fly of my trousers when Alina’s gaze finds mine. She smiles and gives me a little wave, then she licks her candy pink lips. I wonder what they taste like.
No.
No.
No.
I can’t be wondering if my best friend’s sister tastes like strawberries.
The spotlight trains on me and Mila starts her announcement. “First up we’ve got the handsome and dashing, Lord Haverford. He’s twenty-nine years old, six-foot-five, and he’s an accomplished rider…if you know what I mean.”
The crowd cheers but my eyes never leave Alina. She’s taken her seat, her hand is on her paddle, and I know I’m about to be in huge trouble.
The king’s little sister is about to bid for a night with me and by the look in her eyes, I don’t think she’s going to let anyone else win.
The bidding begins and she just waits, a coy smile on her lips. She’s waiting them out. Clever girl. As the auction continues and the bidding war heats up, I lock eyes with her, a challenging smirk on my lips. Her eyes sparkle and she grips her paddle tighter, about to raise it, but the lights in the ballroom blink off and on and the sound system goes dead.
There’s a collective hush that falls over the ballroom, quickly replaced by a quiet murmur of concerned voices. I see security bustling around and instantly a sense of unease prickles at my nape. My gaze immediately goes to Alina. I jump off the stage and go for her. She isn’t within reach of the Royal guard and something is seriously wrong here.
Taking her hand, I pull her from her chair. “Oh, not waiting for my bid?” she teases, but I cut her a harsh glare.
“Something’s happened. We need to find your brother.” Instead of seeing Ryder, I catch sight of Clark, head of security. His face is grave. “What is it? Where’s His Majesty?”
“He’s been taken to a safe location along with the queen.”
The tightness in my chest loosens a little. “And Princess Waverly?”
Lips pressed into a tight line, he gives a minute shake of his head. “Taken. Archer is in pursuit.”
“Taken?” Alina gasps.
“We’ll bring her back, Your Highness.” Clark’s words are strong and I know he believes them with everything he has. “In the meantime, we need you to go to your chambers and stay locked in until we give the all clear.”
She grips my hand. “How long?”
“I’m not sure.”
I can’t leave her alone. She’s afraid and she shouldn’t be by herself. “I’ll stay with you. I’ve always promised Ryder I’d keep you safe and I’m not going to abandon you now.”
Clark nods and escorts us up to the princess’ chambers. As soon as Clark sweeps the rooms and we get behind closed doors, Alina locks everything tight and I draw the shade
s.
“Did you really mean that?” she asks.
“What?”
“That you promised my brother you’d take care of me?”
I nod. “I’ll always protect you and your family. I grew up with no one to care for me. I won’t have that happening to you.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m already grown. In case you missed it, Kingston, I’m an adult.”
Oh, I definitely didn’t miss it. It’s bloody hot in here. Loosening my tie, I pop the top button of my collar and stand. “Do you have anything to drink in here?”
She laughs. “It’s not a hotel room.” Then she gestures toward the bathroom. “I’ve got a sink.”
That’ll do. Standing, I make my way across the plush carpet and into the bathroom. I grip the sides of the marble sink basin and stare hard at myself in the mirror. I can not give in to the desire I’ve been fighting. Alina is beautiful, but she’s not on the table for me. This princess is going to marry the man her father chose for her. She’ll go on to do great things, be a great woman, and the only part I’ll play in that is as the man who kept her safe until her husband came along.
Splashing cold water on my face, I run my hand over my jaw and sigh. Why does the thought of her living her life without me make my chest ache?
When I leave the bathroom my mouth runs dry. Alina is standing in her walk-in-closet, dress pooled in a cloud of tulle on the floor. Her perfect curves are on full display and it’s obvious she doesn’t know I’m watching. I should feel guilty for spying on her like this, but I know I won’t get another chance to see her. The soft pink lace covering her breasts still showcases her rosy nipples through the sheer fabric, and her matching knickers make me want to pull them off with my teeth.